Packaging press



W. K. MARBLE PACKAGING PRESS Oct. 11, 1960 Filed March 11, 1957 4Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. mm

AT'i'EI R N EYS Oct. 11, 1960 w. K. MARBLE 2,955,529

PACKAGING PRESS I Filed March 11, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

MZJWWMWAQ ATTDRN EYS Oct. 11, 1960 w. K. MARBLE 2,955,529

PACKAGING PRESS Filed March 11, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 wig a I /7 gINVENTOR. t k

8 W149 j; y ,wyzw z.

ATTORNEYS W. K. MARBLE PACKAGING PRESS I Oct. 11, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Filed March 11, 1957 .WNY

1 N VEN TOR.

PACKAGING PRESS Wilbur "Knox Marble, Leland, Miss., assignor, by mesneassignments, to Lab-Quip Engineering Corp., Shreveport, La.

Filed Mar. 11, 1957, Ser. No. 645,289

2 Claims. (Cl. 100-215) This invention relates to packaging machinery,such as used in industrial plants and the like for packaging rawmaterials and particularly of the type used for packaging samples oflint of cotton, wool, and the like, and in particular a press having atramper mounted to be actuated by a pneumatic cylinder for compressingraw materials between a stationary side wall and a pivotally mountedcomplementary side wall and upon a movable platen, and whereby thecompressed sample which includes a pluralityiof segments or layers isdischarged transversely of the machine and inserted in a wrapper orenvelope to provide a complete sample package.

The purpose of this invention is to provide automatic means forcompressing samples of materials removed fromcircular lint fines, orlines of other descriptions, into relatively small packages and whereinthe cross section of the material of a package is the same throughoutthe length thereof so that the package may be cut into a plurality ofsmaller packages.

Various types of packaging devices have been provided for differenttypes of materials, however, where raw materials such as cotton and woolare being processed it is 'diflicult to assemble the material andcompress the material into a package that is adapted to be used as asample. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a press ofthe type used for forming a bale in which a relatively long narrowtramper or ram is used between a stationary side plate and a pivotallymounted side plate whereby material deposited between the side plates iscompressed by moving the pivotally mounted side plate into spacedrelation to the stationary side plate and further compressed by thetramper driven against a movable platen by a fluid pressure cylinder,and wherein after receiving and pressing a plurality of segments toprovide a compact unit, the sample is discharged transversely of themachine and inserted in a wrapper or envelope.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a samplepackaging machine wherein a typical cross section of the material iscarried throughout the length of the package so that the package may bedivided into small packages.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sample packaging machinein which a long relatively narrow package is discharged transversely ofthe'machine after the material is compressed into the package unit.

,Another important object of the invention is to provide a samplepackage pressing machine in which material is deposited into a pressingchamber of the maa tramper for compressing the material in forming thepackage. V r

A still further object of the invention is to provide a lintpackagingpress' in'which lint of a machine, such as a cotton gin is:compressed into a relatively long thin-- Patented Oct. 11, 1960 icevunit in which the machine is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the inventionembodies a vertically disposed stationary wall, a complementary wallcarried by a lever pivotally mounted in the lower part of the machineand actuated by a pneumatic cylinder, a platen positioned at the loweredges of the walls and actuated by cylinders, a tramper positioned totravel downwardly from the upper edges of the walls and actuated by apneumatic cylinder, and an ejecting plunger extended transversely fromrial received from the condenser and pressed between side plates with atramper at the upper end before compressing the material and with aplaten at the lower end. Figure 2 is a view similar to that shown inFig. l with parts broken away showing the sample package compressedbetween the tramper and platen, and also showing a locking pin forretaining the tramper in position with the material compressed.

Figure 3 is a cross section through the sample packaging press with oneof the cylinders of the platen broken away and shown in section andwith-another of said cylinders shown in elevation.

' Figure 4 is a cross section similar to that shown in Figure 3, withthe upper part of the press broken away and showing the sample furthercompressed to form a relatively thin unit.

Figure 5 is a section, similar to that shown in Figures 3 and 4 alsoshowing the sample in the compressed position.

Figure 6 is also a section through the press illustrating the positionsof the parts with the sample ejected from one side of the press by theplunger of a pneumatic cylinder extended from the opposite side.

Figure 7 is a section, similar to that shown in Figure 3 in whichthetramper has been returned to the starting position and is shown in thelower position in broken lines.

Figure 8 is a sectional plan taken on line 8-8 of Figure 7 with theparts shown on an enlarged scale illustrating one of the cylinders forreleasing the platen locks which retain the platen in the upper positionuntil the compressed unit is driven into a wrapper.

Figure 9 is a sectional plan taken on line 99 of Fig. 1, with the partsshown on an enlarged scale, showing a cylinder for operating a lockingpin to secure the tramper in the lower position in which the material iscuits to. the cylinders of the packaging press.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference characters denotecorresponding parts the improved sample packaging press of thisinvention includes a platen 10 positionedrbetween spaced parallelchannel-bars l1 and 12, and carried by upper ends 13 and 14 of pistonrods 15 and 16 extended from pistons 17 and 18 in L cylinders 19 and20,a tramper 21' actuated'by a pneumatic cylinder 22, a stationary sideplate 23 extended upwardly from the channelbar 11, a lint door or sideplate 24 carried by a lever 25 actuated by a pneumatic cylinder 26, alaterally disposed plunger 27 actu-ated'by i a pneumatic, cylinder 28and having a shovel 29 on the upper edge, and lock bolts 30 actuated bypneumatic cylinders 31 and positioned to extend through the channel-bars11 and 12 for locking the tramper in the downward or compressingposition;

The platen which is positioned on the ends 13 and 14 of the piston rods15 and 16 extends through end plates 32 and 33 and the ends are providedwith pins 34 and 35 by which the platen is retained in position, and theplates 32 and 33 are positioned to ride upon upper edges of lockingplates 36 and 37 which are pivotally mounted in brackets 38 and 39 and,as illustrated in Figure 6, the locking plates 36 and 37 are urgedinwardly to engage lower surfaces of the plates 32 and 33, by springs 40and 41. By this means the locking plates 36 and 37 retain the plates 32and 33 and also the platen in upwardly disposed positions whereby theupper surface of the platen 10 is in registering relation with the lowerinner surface of a feeder chute 42 so that as the plunger 27 is drivenacross the machine by the cylinder 28 and piston rod 43 the compressedmaterial is injected into a wrapper 44.

The cylinder 28 is suspendedby a hanger 45 and the hanger is pivotallymounted by a pin 46 on a bearing 47 in an inverted U-shaped shield orsupport 48.

The locking plates 36 and 37 are withdrawn after the material has beeninjected into the wrapper 44 by pneumatic cylinders 49 and 50 mounted onbrackets 51 and 52 on vertically disposed struts or supports 53 and 54.

The cylinders 49 and 50 are provided with lugs 55 by which the cylindersare secured in position upon the brackets 51 and 52 with suitablefasteners 56 and connecting rods 57 extended from pistons 58 in thecylinders are connected by rivets or pins 59 to clips 60 of the lockingplates 61 whereby with fluid under pressure supplied to the cylindersthrough tubes 62 the locking plates 36 and 37 are drawn outwardlyreleasing the upper plates 32 and 33 upon which the platen 10 rests. Theplates 36, 37 are also provided with clips 63 that extend around flanges61 of the supports 53 and54. The piston rods 57 are secured in sleeves64 through which the pins 59 extend, by suitable means. The lockingplates 36 and 37 are provided with wings or tabs 65 and 66 to facilitateadjusting the positions of the plates by hand.

The cylinders 19 and 20 are mountedon a horizontally disposed platform67 and the platform issupported by the vertically disposed supports 68and 69 the lower ends of which are positioned on channel-bars 70 and 71.The cylinder 19 is provided with a fluid pressure supply connection 72and the cylinder 20 with a similar connection 73 and, as illustrated inFig. 8 the cylinder 49 is provided with a release opening or vent 74.

The cylinder 22 is carried on a horizontally disposed channel bar 75which is mounted on upper ends of the support members 53 and 54 and thetramper 21 is pivotally mounted in a clevis 76 at the lower end of apiston rod 77 extended from the cylinder 22. by a pin- 78 and, asillustrated particularly in Fig. 3, the upper end of the piston rodextends through a packing gland 79 at the lower end of the piston. Theconnecting rod is secured in a piston 80, as shown in Fig. 3. Thecylinder 22 is also. provided with fluid pressure supply connections 81and 82 whereby fluid, and particularly air under pressure may besupplied to the upper end of the cylinder for driving the tramperdownwardly through the press.

The tramper 21 is provided with a backing bar 83 to which the clevis 76is connected by the pin 78 and the tramper is retained in positionwithguide bars 84 and 85 that extend through openings 86 and 87 in the webof the channel bar 75 and, as illustrated in Fig. 3, upper ends of theguide bars are provided with heads 88 and 89 and the lower ends withclevises 90 and-91 which are secured to the backing bar '83 with pins 92and 93.

As illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 9 one lock bolt 30 is secured on theend of a connecting rod 94 which extends from a piston 95 in thecylinder 31 and the cylinder is provided with fluid pressure connections96 and 97. The cylinder 31 is mounted on a bracket 98 and the bracket ispositioned whereby the lock bolt 30 extends into a sleeve 99 whichextends from the side plate 23 and which is in alignment with an opening100 in the opposite side of the web of the channel bar 12. By this meansfluid under pressure supplied to the connection 96 drives the lock bolt30 across the press to the locking position shown in Fig. 2 and pressureapplied to the connection 97 withdraws the bolt, releasing the tramper.

The movable side plate or locked door 24 is carried by a bar 101 on theupper end of the lever 25 and the lower end of the lever is hinged on abase 102 of the press by a pin 193. The lever 25 is actuated by thepneumatic cylinder 26, which is supplied with fluid under pressurethrough a connection 104 and, as shown in Fig. 1, the cylinder ispivotally mounted by a pin 195 in a bracket 106 extended from an anglebar 107 extended between posts 108 of the frame of the press. Theconnecting rod 109, at the opposite end of the cylinder 26 is connectedby a pin 110 which extends through a clevis 111 on the connecting rodand also through the lever 25 on which the plate 24 is carried.

The cylinders 49 and 50 are provided with fluid pressure supplyconnections 112 and similar connections 113 and 114 are provided on theends of the cylinders 28.

A control panel 115 is provided at one side of the machine and thecontrols are connected to the elements through a tube 116.

With the door 24 in the position indicated by the broken lines 117cotton, lint, or the like supplied to the condenser 118 passes throughthe feed rollers 119 and 120 which are mounted on shafts 121 and 122 andwith the rollers rotating in the direction of the arrows the material isfed into an area 123 and when a suflicient quantity of lint is depositedinto the area the cylinder 26 is actuated to drive the plate 24 againstthe material forcing the material into an area between the plates 23 and24. The roller 119 is driven by a motor 124 through a belt 125. With thematerial in the pressure chamber between the plates 23 and 24, platen 10and tramper 21 air under pressure is supplied to the upper end of thecylinder 22 whereby the tramper is driven downwardly to the positionshown in Figure 2 and after a plurality of such opera: tions, wherein aplurality of layers or segments of lint are compressed upon the platen,the tramper is locked by the lock bolts 30 and pressure applied to thecylinders 19,

and 20 whereby the platen is driven upwardly pressing the lower layersor segments to the same degree as that ofthe upper layers or segmentsmaking the cross section of the sample consistent throughout. As anillustration, as many as ten segments may be included in one sample andwhen the pressure, such as forty pounds, applied to the cylinder 22 isnot suflicient to carry the tramper downwardly below the lock bolts 30,safety devices are released whereby the pressure may be increased up to120 pounds.

In moving the platen 10 upwardly the locking plates 36' and 37, ridingagainst outer surfaces of the plates 32 and 33, drop into position belowthe lower edges of the plates 32 and 33 retaining the platen in anupwardly disposed position whereby the tramper may be elevated as theplunger 27 is driven across the platen by the cylinder 28. Upon returnof the plunger 27 the tramper is also re turned to the upper positionand pressure applied to the inner ends of the cylinders 49 and 50 whichdraw the locking plates 36 and 37 outwardly to release the platen.

With this combination of movements or with the platen coacting with thetramper, the press operates with less air volume and with air at lowerpressure than used in conventional pressing machines.

By this means, a comparatively thin bar of cotton lint is provided andthe sample is driven into the wrapper 44 providing a wrapped sample thatmay be usedasshown.

and described or that maybe cut into sections, as may be desired.

The press is provided with an electric circuit and controls whereincurrent is supplied through wires 126 and 127, and the circuit isprovided with a pressing timer 128 whichcontrols the length of time thesample is held under high pressure, a sampling cycle timer 129forcontrolling the time between openings of the sampling valv'e, asamplertimer 130 controlling the length of time the sampling valveremains open, and a tramper delay 131 which allows sufficient time-forcotton to pass through the small condenser before the tramper depresses.

The circuit is also provided with a master relay 132 which preventssampling and pressing at the same time, a tramper holding relay 133which holds the tramper in the lower position except for the samplinginterval, a tramper position relay 134 which prevents starting of thepackaging cycle except when the tramper is in the lower position and anoverload safety relay 135 for preventing taking too large a sample.

The circuit also includes a sampling valve cylinder 136, the cylinder 26for controlling the side wall or lint door 24, the tramper cylinder 22,the platen pressing cylinders 19 and 20, the package inserting cylinder28, a sampling valve cushion cylinder, the tramper lock cylinders 31,the pressing platen lock cylinders 49 and 50, and the wrapper holdingcylinders.

The press is also provided with safety switches, such as the switches137 and 138 that prevent the sampler taking too large a sample and witha large amount of cotton in the sampler press box the tramper, withforty pounds of air pressure will not go down far enough to close theswitches 137 and 138, thereby causing the relay 135 to remain in theunlatched position holding the circuit to the solenoid valve 39 open,and preventing the sampling valve 136 from opening and taking furthersamples until the sample in the press has been packaged. In thepackaging cycle, the tramper cylinder 22 operates under 120 poundpressure and the tramper is forced all of the way down, thereby closingthe switches 137 and 138.

The circuit also includes a switch 140 which prevents the packaging of asample before it is properly pressed and a switch 141 which preventspressing a sample with the packaging cylinder partially extended.

The sequence of operations for automatic cotton sampler is as follows:

(1) Switch 142 switches momentarily at end of the packaging cylinderstroke, relays 133 and 134 are released, relay 132 is unlatched.

(2) With relay 133 open, solenoid valve 143 is deenergized, tramper goesup and lint door 24 opens.

(3) Switch 144 is switched by tramper, timer 130 starts running, andsolenoid valve 139 is actuated, opening the sampling valve 136.

(4) Timer 130 runs the pro-set time, then switches and holds. Solenoidvalve 139 is de-energized, sampling valve closes, and timer 131 startsrunning.

(5) Timer 131 runs the pre-set time and switches, relay 135 is energizedand latches, relay 133 is energized, solenoid valve 143 is energized andthe lint door closes and the tramper goes down.

(6) Switch 144 switches, timer 130 resets, timer 131 resets; timer 129starts running; switches 137 and 138 close and release relay 135. Thisenergizes relay 134.

(7) Timer 129 runs the preset length of time and switches, relay 133releases, relay 134 releases, solenoid valve 143 is de-energized and thetramper goes up and the lint door opens; switch 144 switches, timer 129resets, timer 130 starts running, solenoid valve 139 is actuated,opening the sampling valve.

(8) Cycles 3 through 7 repeat until the packaging switch is actuated, orthe sampler lint box becomes too full.

(9) When the packaging switch 145 is actuated, relay 132 latches, timer129 stops and resets; high pressure solenoid valve 146 is actuated, ifthe tramper is notin the up position or when it leaves the up position.Timer 128 starts, and solenoid valve 147 is actuated, if relay 34 isclosed or when it does close. Actuating solenoid valves 146 and 147press the sample. This pressure is held until timer 128 runs thepresettime, then switches and holds; solenoid valve 147 is de-energized whenpressing platen closes switch 140, sample is pushed into the containerand switch 142 is closed at the end of the stroke, releasing the relays132, 133, and 134 and valve 146; timer 128 resets, valves 148 and 149are de-energized, returning the packaging cylinder to the normalposition wherein the sampling action starts.

Timer adjustment 1 Timers 128 and 131 are adjusted at the time ofinstallation and should not require changing.

Timers 129 and are adjusted according to the rate of ginning to give thecorrect weight of sample with a r suflicient number of segments.

With the parts designed and assembled as illustrated and described asample is withdrawn from a circular lint flue and carried through theconveyer tube 150 through the condenser 118 and fed through the feedrollers 119 and 120 to the box with the side wall 24 in a broken lineposition and with a sufficient quantity of lint in the box the cylinder26 is actuated to move the wall 24 from the broken line position to theposition shown in full lines, at which time, fluid under pressure isreleased to the upper connection 81 of the cylinder 22 whereby thepiston in the cylinder drives the tramper 21 downwardly compressing thelint against the platten 10 and with the tramper in the lower positionthe cylinders 31 are actuated to insert the lock bolts above the tramperand cylinders 19 and 20 are actuated to elevate the platen.

This operation is repeated until a plurality of layers or segments suchas ten segments, are compressed upon 48 is withdrawn and the tramper 21also elevated to a starting position, at which time the cycle ofoperations is repeated.

It will be understood that modifications within the scope of theappended claims, may be made in the design and arrangement of the partswithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a packaging press, the combination which comprises a verticallydisposed frame, spaced horizontally disposed channel bars extendedacross the frame, a stationary wall extended upwardly from afirst one ofsaid channel bars and mounted on the frame, the inner surface of thestationary wall being flush with the inner surface of the channel bar, amovable wall positioned to extend upwardly from the second of saidchannel bars which is opposite to the first channel bar from which thestationary wall extends, the movable wall being positioned parallel toand spaced from the stationary wall, and the inner surface being flushwith the inner surface of the second channel bar with the wall in theclosed position, a lever pivotally mounted in the lower part of theframe and on the upper end of which the movable wall is mounted, ahydraulic cylinder mounted in the frame and connected to the lever formoving the movable wall into a position where the inner surface thereofis flush with the inner surface of the second channel bar, a pair offluid pressure cylinders mounted below the channel bars, a piston ineach of said cylinders, said cylinders being positioned in such a mannerthat the pistons thereof may travel upwardly between the channel bars, aplaten mounted on the pistons of the pair of cylinders, a platform forsupporting said cylinders, a pair of vertically disposed supportsconnected to the opposite ends of said platform, end plates on saidsupports through which said platen extends, pins positioned in theopposite ends of the platen for retaining the platen in position,locking plates positioned below said end plates with the upper edgesthereof in engagement with the lower edges of said end plates, bracketsmounted on said supports for pivotally mounting the lower edges of saidlocking plates, springs mounted on said supports and biasing saidlocking plates inwardly to maintain the locking plates in engagementwith the end plates so that said end plates and said platen are retainedin upwardly disposed positions, a tramper positioned between thestationary and movable walls, end walls extended upwardly from ends ofthe channel bars and positioned between the stationary and hinged walls,a horizontally disposed channel bar mounted in the frame and positionedabove the upper ends of the stationary, movable and end walls, a fluidpressure cylinder extended upwardly from the horizontally disposedchannel bar, a piston rod extended from the fluid pressure cylinder andconnected to the tramper for driving the tramper downwardly, a laterallydisposed cylinder extended from one of the ends of the channel bars atone side of the frame and aligned with the passage between the channelbars, a plunger extended from the laterally disposed cylinder for urgingunits of prod- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS 183,378 Davis Oct. 17, 1876 1,120,655 Kinter Dec. 8, 19141,822,923 Duerr Sept. 15, 1931 1,966,378 Dinzl July 10, 1934 2,399,857Connors May 7, 1946 2,780,989 Guy Feb. 12, 1957

